Quiz: Can You Spell These Chemistry Words?: HowStuffWorks

Can You Spell These Chemistry Words?

SCIENCE

By: Khadija Leon

6 Min Quiz

Image: Portra/Digital Vision/Getty Images

About This Quiz

When we were in school, there were certain subjects we had to take whether we wanted to or not (most often not). And when it comes to the sciences, we had to sit down in many biology, physics and chemistry classes. To many, chemistry may have seemed like a boring science, the only excitement being the occasional volcano baking soda reaction, getting to light the Bunsen burner and when a solution accidentally overflowed. Beyond that, the chemical reactions were a pain to remember for most, and trying to remember whether a hydrocarbon and oxygen mixture was combustible or corrosive just called on a migraine.

So, we won't make you relive those days of horror. Instead, we're going to test whether you remember how some of the words were spelled. Was it exothermic or exsothermic? Was the word supposed to be assitate or acetate? We've riddled this quiz with questions testing your knowledge on some of the most common words in the chemistry lexicon and it's up to you to choose the correct spelling for every word. Will you redeem yourself by acing this quiz, or is chemistry just not for you? Let's find out!

How do you correctly spell this type of electrode?

Catode

Cathode

Catthode

Carthode

A cathode is a type of electrode in which electrical current exits the polarized electrical circuit. Positively charges cations always move toward the cathode, and the opposite applies for the anode.

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This word describes a grouping of metallic elements. How is it spelled?

Lanthannide

Lantaninde

Lanthanide

Lanantide

Lanthanides are a grouping of metallic elements which range from 57 to 71, from the elements lanthanum to lutetium. They can also be called lanthanoids.

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This word is a type of metal which belongs to Group 1 of the periodic table. Which of these ways do you spell it?

Alkali

Alkalli

Alkaali

Allkali

The word alkali is usually seen before the word metal, and they are defined as any metallic element which belongs to Group 1 of the periodic table. Some examples include sodium, potassium and lithium.

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It is defined as the combining capacity of elements in a chemical compound. How is it spelled?

Valenty

Valency

Valenncy

Vallency

Valency is defined as the combining capacity of an element or the measure of its combining powers when it forms a chemical compound or molecule.

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Which of these words is the correct spelling of the calculation of reactants and products in a chemical reaction?

Stochiometry

Stochiometry

Stoikiometry

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the precise calculation of the reactants and the products in chemical reactions. It is founded on the law of conservation of mass, which states that the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of the initial products.

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How is this technique which uses electrical current spelled?

Eleckrolysis

Elektrolysis

Electrolysis

Elektrollysis

Electrolysis is a technique which used electrical current to drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction, thereby producing changes in the substance.

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It is another word for a large molecule of repeating subunits. How is it correctly spelled?

Pollymer

Polymer

Polymmer

Polymé

A polymer is a large molecule which is made up of repeating subunits called monomers. They usually have high boiling and melting points and sometimes a high molecular mass.

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It is a chemical compound which donates an electron pair. How do you spell this word?

Nucleophile

Nucleopile

Nucleophille

Nucleoppile

A nucleophile is a chemical compound or species which donates an electron pair to an electrophile in order to form a chemical bond in a reaction. Molecules which have at least one pair of free electrons can act as nucleophiles.

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This chemical compound has a net charge of zero. How do you​ spell it?

Zwitterion

Zwitterrion

Zwiterion

Switterion

A zwitterion is a chemical compound which has a net charge of zero, which makes it electrically neutral. It does, however, have both positive and negative charges in it.

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Which of these is the correct spelling of the word which has many carbon​ to carbon double bonds?

Unssaturated

Unsatturated

Unsaturated

Unsaturrated

An unsaturated compound is one which has a carbon to carbon double and/or triple bonds. Because of this bonding, it does not contain the highest amount of hydrogen atoms like the saturated compounds.

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What is the correct spelling of this periodic table element?

Berylium

Berrylium

Berrylium

Beryllium

Beryllium is a chemical element which is represented by the symbol Be and the atomic number 4. The alkaline earth metal is relatively rare and can be found as a product of large atomic nuclei colliding with cosmic rays.

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This reaction happens after opening a champagne bottle.

Efervescence

Effervesscence

Effervescencce

Effervescence

Effervescence is the escape of gases from an aqueous solution causing it to foam or fizz upon its release. An example of this is opening a carbonated beverage such as champagne.

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What is the correct spelling of this word?

Hallogen

Allogen

Halogen

Alogen

Halogens are a group of non-metallic elements found in Group 17 of the periodic table. There are five of them (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine). They are known to form strong acidic compounds with hydrogen.

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One of these is a process by which a substance absorbs​ moisture. What is the correct spelling?

Delicescence

Deliquesence

Deliquesence

Deliquescence

Deliquescence is the process by which a substance absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it completely dissolves in the water, thereby forming a solution.

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Ductility is a synonym for this word. What is its correct spelling?

Maleable

Malleable

Maleablle

Malable

Malleability, also called ductility, is the measure of a material’s ability to undergo deformation before it breaks or ruptures. It is typically expressed as percent elongation.

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It is able to exist in two or more forms. What is the correct spelling?

Alotrope

Allotrope

Alotroppe

Allotripe

An allotrope is an element which can exist in two or more forms. The differentiation can be in the way that they are bonded or the way that they are arranged.

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What is the correct spelling of the element which has the chemical element with the atomic number 54?

Xenon

Zenon

Venon

Cenon

Xenon is a chemical element which is represented by the symbol Xe and the atomic number 54. It is a colorless and odorless noble gas, and it can be found in products like flash lamps and general anesthesia.

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How do you correctly spell this type of lab tool?

Fizion

Fision

Fiscion

Fission

A pipette is a laboratory tool which is used to transport, or store measured volumes of liquid. They come in several sizes and designs made from different materials including glass.

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How is this chemical element spelled?

Paladium

Paladdium

Palladium

Palladdium

Palladium is a chemical element which is represented by the symbol Pd and the atomic number 46. The silvery white metal was discovered by William Hyde Wollaston and is used in dentistry, hydrogen purification and jewelry.

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How do you spell the word which describes one atom bonded to four atoms?

Tetrahedral

Tetrahedal

Tetrahedrol

Tretrahedral

Tetrahedral is a word which describes the shape of a molecule that has one atom in the center and is bound to four atoms by chemical bonds at the corners. It is then known as a tetrahedron.

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This word, which is defined as a fictional group composed of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom, is spelled ________________.

Carbonil

Carbbonyl

Carbonyl

Corbonyl

In chemistry, a carbonyl group is a functional group (substituents within molecules) which is composed of a carbon atom which is double bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O). Compounds containing this group are called carbonyl compounds.

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This word is a substance which is added in order to cause a chemical reaction. What is the correct spelling?

Regent

Reagent

Reageant

Regeant

A reagent is a substance which is added to a system to cause a chemical reaction, or to test whether a reaction did or can occur. The word is often interchanged with reactant but is a separate entity.

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This substance speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction​. What is the correct spelling?

Catalisst

Cattalist

Catalist

Catalyst

A catalyst is a substance which speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction but is not used up in the reaction; which means that it can be recovered after the reaction has occurred. Enzymes are examples of protein catalysts.

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This process of making soap is spelled ______________________.

Saponiffication

Saponnification

Saponification

Saoonification

Saponification is the process by which fat or oil is converted into soap and alcohol by using heat in the presence of aqueous alkali. The fats used are animal fats or vegetable oil. In instances where they use sodium hydroxide, hard soap is produced.

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It can be an acid or a base. How do you spell it?

Amfoteric

Ampoteric

Amphoteric

Amphtaric

An amphoteric compound is one that is able to react both as an acid and a base, depending on the medium, according to the Bronsted-Lowry theory. It comes from the Greek word “amphoteros,” which means “each or both of two.”

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Its base structure is RC(+O)R1. How do you spell it?

Ketone

Keyton

Keytone

Keatone

Ketones, also known as alkenone, is an organic compound which has the base structure RC(=O)R’. R and R’ being varieties of carbon-containing compounds.

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How do you spell this type of bonding?

Kelate

Celate

Khelate

Chelate

Chelation is a type of bonding in which ions and molecules bind with metal ions. It involves the formation of two or more separate coordinate bonds between ligands and single central atoms.

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One of these words is the correct spelling of a chemical element. Which is it?

Ittrium

Yttrium

Ytrium

Itrium

Yttrium is a chemical element which is represented by the symbol Y and the atomic number 39. It is a silvery-metallic transitional metal which is found in LEDs, lasers, phosphors and electrodes.

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It is the study of electromagnetic forces. What the correct spelling of the word?

Electromagnetism

Electroagnettism

Elecctromagnetism

Ellectromagnetism

Electromagnetism is the study of electromagnetic forces, which is the physical interaction that occurs between particles which are electrically charged. They typically exhibit electromagnetic fields and are one of the fundamental interactions in nature.

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It is comprised of things which are dissimilar. How do you spell it?

Heteroggenus

Hetterogenus

Heterrogenus

Heterogeneous

Heterogenous is used to describe a type of mixture which is a combination of two or more pure and dissimilar substances. In other words, the mixture has a non-uniform composition.

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How do you spell the word which describes the process by which a molecule​ acquires a positive or negative charge?

Ionnisation

Ionization

Ionisation

Ionizsttion

Ionization, sometimes spelled ionization, is the process by which a molecule or atom acquires a positive or negative charge by either gaining or losing electrons in order to form ions. One example, gas ionization, occurs within fluorescent lamps.

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This word is a synonym for mesomerism. How do you spell it?

Resonnance

Ressonance

Rassonance

Resonance

Resonance, also known as mesomerism, describes the delocalization of electrons within certain molecules or polyatomic ions where bonding cannot be expressed by a single Lewis structure.

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It is the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation. How is it spelled?

Sektroscopy

Spectroscoppy

Spectrosopy

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. It splits the light into constituent wavelengths in a similar fashion to that of a prism with the different energy levels being quantified.

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How do you describe the word which measures the resistance to flow?

Viscocity

Viscositty

Viscosity

VIsccosity

The viscosity of a fluid is the measure of its resistance to flow. Some people use thickness as a synonym to viscose, and one example includes honey or blood and water. The first two options are more viscose or thicker than water.

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Centrifugal forces separate particles in this reaction. How is this word spelled?

Centriuggation

Centtrifugation

Centruffugation

Centrifugation

Centrifugation is a laboratory technique which involves using a centrifugal force to separate particles in solution according to its shape, size, viscosity and density. It is mostly used to separate two miscible substances.

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